


Synopsis: Revelation 6:8

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: Meta, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-31
Updated: 2003-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-18 07:05:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11869122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atDaire's Fanfic Refuge. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onDaire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile.





	Synopsis: Revelation 6:8

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

Revelation 6:8

**REVELATION 6:8**

_And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth._   
\- Revelation 6:8 (Translation from Rev. 6:8 web site) 

In the Highlander universe, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were Immortals, and Methos was one of them. He was-as Cassandra characterized him-'the head', as Kronos was 'the heart.' 

Now MacLeod has joined with Cassandra to track down the Horsemen. MacLeod knows they must be stopped-he has no problem with killing Kronos-but he's still conflicted about Methos. Methos was his friend, offered him his life, and rescued his soul from the Dark Quickening. How can that be reconciled with the monster that enjoyed slaughtering thousands of innocents? 

First, they must be found. 

This concludes a two-parter. Adrian Paul directed this one. Excellent job-little touches like having Methos always half in shadow to emphasize his dual nature. The ending-Methos and MacLeod walk off separately. Same general direction, different paths. Symbolism permeates this one. 

It was his third episode and happily, it was HL: TS 100th episode. Many consider it one of Highlander's best. 

_New Characters:_

**DOCTOR CERNAVEDA** \- Runs a Romanian asylum for the criminally insane. His star inmate, in these 'humane' surroundings is Caspian. 

* * *

Recap from 'Comes a Horseman' 

MacLeod and Cassandra-   
Meet up on the trail-   
Of an evil Immortal...   
And thus starts the tale.   
Mac knows him as Koren,   
But to Cassie, he's Kronos-   
Who led the Four Horsemen...   
And-now here's the bonus! 

Rampaging with Kronos-   
& Company was another,   
Never far from his side-   
Kronos called him his brother,   
METHOS! Mac's friend-   
Killed, raped and laid waste,   
Mac's sure that Cassandra-   
ID'd him in haste. 

But she's not mistaken,   
He and Kronos were there,   
Destroyed all she loved,   
Laid her village bare,   
Killed then enslaved her,   
She's yearned to avenge-   
For two thousand years,   
Now it's time for revenge. 

MacLeod confronts Methos,   
He admits it's all true,   
MacLeod almost crying-   
Tells Methos, 'We're through.'   
Joe tells Mac that Cassie's-   
At Kronos' lair,   
Mac loses no time-   
In following her there. 

She's taken on Kronos-   
But she can't deliver,   
She's cold-cocked by Methos-   
Thrown into a river,   
Mac goes after Kronos-   
But he too, is thwarted,   
Methos sets up a firewall,   
And the fight is aborted. 

'I can wait!' Kronos vows,   
Mac goes back to Cassie,   
He'll track down the pair,   
While protecting the lassie,   
But Methos aroused-   
Brother Kronos' ire,   
When a Horsemen gets angry-   
Repercussions are dire! 

One thing alone-   
Will save Old Guy's head,   
He lets Kronos know-   
Silas, Caspian aren't dead,   
Reunited, the Four-   
Can destroy like no others,   
So now, they'll proceed-   
To find their two brothers. 

                   The story picks up..... 

Somewhere in the Ukraine 

On horseback again,   
Through the forest, they peer,   
Says Methos to Kronos-   
'I tell you, he's here,'   
'Reunited,' thinks Kronos,   
'My most cherished dream,'   
'New meaning,' note Methos,   
To the saying, Dream Team.' 

The thunks of an ax-   
Pounding a stump,   
'It's Silas,' says Kronos,   
Warns Methos, 'Don't jump,   
Over one thousand years,   
He may not recall,   
Then he might resist-   
Joining us, after all.' 

'What we were,' says Kronos-   
'One does not forget,   
He'll come back with us,   
No reason to fret,'   
Silas senses their Buzz,   
He's a large brute, and wild,   
With a big stupid grin-   
And the mind of a child. 

In greeting, he hurls-   
His ax at a tree,   
It sticks in between-   
Where they happen to be.   
'BROTHERS!' he cries   
Spreading massive arms wide,   
Bear-hugging Methos,   
'We ride?' 'Yes, we ride.' 

Joe's Office 

MacLeod and Cassandra-   
Have brought Joe their case,   
Can he find the Horsemen-   
In the Watcher database?   
'There's a Kaspis, a Cassius...   
An Evan Caspari?'   
'That's Caspian!' says Cassie,   
'We'd better not tarry. 

'According to this...'   
Says Joe under strain,   
'He's in an asylum-   
For the criminally insane-   
In Romania.' Mac wonders-   
How all this will end,   
As they leave, Dawson cautions,   
'Take care, my friend.' 

Bucharest, Romania   
Dr. Cernaveda's Asylum 

The doctor says, 'No'-   
To Kronos' plea   
'I cannot release-   
This patient, you see...   
In weeks, maybe months-   
A procedure's involved...'   
Twenty-five grand, US,   
And the matter's resolved. 

Cernaveda is nervous,   
'Why liberate him?'   
Says Kronos, 'In order to-   
Rehabilitate him.'   
The doctor's a skeptic,   
'Do you know what he did?   
In his house, garden, freezer...   
Body parts were found hid.' 

Screams fill the halls,   
Dungeon-like atmosphere,   
But the Buzz that they sense-   
Means Caspian's near!   
Chained to a wall,   
'Since he is insane,   
We did not execute him,   
This is far more humane.' 

'Very humane,'   
Methos comments, sarcastic,   
Caspian's disheveled,   
Like a gargoyle, fantastic   
When he howls recognition,   
Blades free him with ease,   
Cernaveda suggests-   
'Some security, please?' 

Too late for that,   
Caspian happily chokes-   
The life from the doctor,   
Kronos smiles as croaks,   
Methos backs away,   
Till Caspian cries, 'Stop!'   
Caspian rescues a cockroach,   
A living gum drop. 

'They're better alive.'   
Methos: 'Bon appétit!'   
Makes a sour face,   
Then drops at his feet-   
A matchbook-a sign-   
For whom, what and where?   
Whom does Methos hope-   
Will discover it there? 

Abandoned Submarine Base   
Bordeaux, France 

Cheerless and gloomy,   
Dark, dreary and dank,   
Some fires have been lit-   
Still, the ambiance is rank,   
Silas asks, 'What in hell-   
Is this place that we've got?'   
Methos, ever the cynic-   
'Kronos' Camelot.' 

Silas asks, 'Where's the horses?'   
Caspian puts him down,   
'Are you an idiot?'   
(Treating him like a clown)   
Methos quietly turns-   
The leaves of his book,   
Once or twice, peering up-   
For a curious look. 

Caspian's found dinner!   
A rat in a cage,   
'What wine goes with rodent?'   
Silas flies in a rage,   
'Eat him, I'll eat _you!_ '   
Caspian answers, 'You're nuts!'   
Each grabs for his weapon,   
No ifs, ands, or buts. 

Battle-ax against sword,   
Methos tunes it all out,   
'Put them down now!'   
Is Kronos' shout,   
'We never raise blades-   
Against one another,   
Right, Methos?' asks Kronos,   
'You said it, brother.' 

Kronos: 'We're the Four Horsemen!   
The most fearsome band!   
Remember that, brothers?'   
Extending his hand,   
The others grasp forearms,   
Methos closes the square,   
But he leans 'cross the table-   
To avoid standing there. 

Bucharest, Romania   
Dr. Cernaveda's Asylum 

'When did he escape?'   
MacLeod asks the nurse,   
She cannot say,   
Her manner is terse,   
'We just found the doctor's-   
Body, this AM,'   
Mac can't get more info,   
The asylum's in mayhem. 

Mac steals a quick look-   
At Caspian's chart,   
Persuading Cassandra-   
That's the hard part,   
She'd rather leave now,   
But helps MacLeod look-   
In Caspian's cell-   
There he sees the matchbook. 

'Methos has left this,   
Telling us where to go,   
Hotel de Seze,   
We're off to Bordeaux,'   
'He's setting us up,'   
Says she, with derision,   
'It's all that we've got,'   
Is Duncan's decision. 

Abandoned Submarine Base   
Bordeaux, France 

Side by side, the Four Horsemen-   
Hear Kronos, expounding,   
'In this age of science-   
Prospects are astounding!   
Why should we ride-   
With the ax and the sword?   
There are more potent weapons-   
That can't be ignored.' 

'For men with no conscience,   
No morals or fear,   
The world will be ours-   
To subdue, domineer-   
Destruction and death-   
We'll inflict as a team.   
Leaving mayhem and chaos,   
Think that, boys...and dream!' 

They enter a room-   
A bizarre laboratory,   
Monkeys chitter in cages,   
Kronos points to his glory...   
In a vault, in dry ice,   
A test tube sits chilled,   
'This incurable virus-   
I, alone have distilled.' 

'This virus will bring-   
The world to its knees.'   
'Do you have a plan?'   
Caspian likes what he sees,   
'With Methos, we'll soon-   
Have the world in our grips,   
It's what they fear most-   
The Apocalypse!' 

Hotel de Seze, Bordeaux 

They've checked at the desk,   
No message for them,   
'Dead end,' says Cassandra,   
Ever quick to condemn,   
'All he does is tell lies,'   
But Duncan must clutch-   
To a small shred of faith,   
'He'll be in touch.' 

The Submarine Base 

Kronos deprecates-   
Old Guy's planning skill,   
'Virus bomb in a fountain?   
How many will that kill?'   
'You've gone soft, Methos,'   
They seem less than thrilled,   
Methos: 'First rule of drama-   
Start small and build.' 

'First in a fountain,   
To get their attention,   
A public pool soon-   
Will cause apprehension,   
Then a stadium.... Then-   
The water supply...'   
Kronos: 'We'll start tonight!   
Now impressed with Old Guy. 

Hotel de Seze 

On the balcony, intense,   
Will this wait never end?   
Cassandra tells Duncan-   
'He's _not_ your friend,   
He's restoring the Horsemen-   
In this interim,'   
He: 'Kronos is behind this,   
I'll take care of him.' 

'Kill Kronos,' says she-   
'You cut out their heart,   
Kill Methos, their head,   
Then they'll fall apart,   
They both have to die!'   
Her emotions still smolder,   
All Mac can do,   
Is comfort and hold her. 

The Submarine Base, Laboratory 

Silas is showing-   
His warm, fuzzy nature,   
Feeding the monkeys-   
Like a giant 4-H'er,   
To Methos, he gripes-   
'I miss the old ways,   
Slaughtering was better-   
In the good old days.' 

'With my ax in my hands,   
I would kill face to face,   
See my enemy's eyes,   
As his life I'd erase,   
To kill from a distance-   
Is not any fun.'   
Methos sighs, 'Soon enough,'   
To this big simpleton. 

'Silas,' he pleads,   
'For two thousand years-   
We've lived without bloodshed,   
Terror and fears,'   
His point is that they-   
Can alter their ways,   
But Silas thinks Methos-   
Still yearns for those days. 

'Yes, brother, I've waited-   
And dreamed of this day-   
When we'd ride again,   
Methos...You used to say-   
'We live, we grow stronger,   
And then we will fight!''   
Methos despairs,   
Silas can't be set right. 

Silas wonders if Kronos-   
Could be persuaded-   
To give him a monkey,   
Methos answers, now jaded,   
'I'll ask him,' departing,   
All humans on earth-   
To Silas, mean nothing-   
But, a _monkey_ has worth. 

Hotel de Seze 

Cassandra has showered,   
They are waiting still,   
'Duncan, can you kill him?'   
'If I have to.' 'You will.'   
The phone rings; it's Methos,   
'Thirty minutes, come alone,'   
Elysium Church,   
Then he hangs up the phone. 

'Is it him?' asks Cassandra,   
'No,' Duncan lies,   
'A credit card problem,'   
He can't meet her eyes,   
'I'll be right back,'   
Leaves her brushing her hair,   
Mac's sure she'll be safe,   
If she stays right there. 

Elysium Church 

Methos sits somberly,   
As Mac walks in,   
Mac: 'Why did you lie-   
About who you've been?'   
'I've been many things,'   
Says Methos abstractly,   
'And who are you now...'   
Asks Duncan, 'exactly?' 

'I couldn't tell you...   
I knew your reaction...   
You could not forgive-   
Even a fraction-   
Of the things I have done,   
Your nature it's not,   
Well, you accept it!'   
Screams Mac, 'Accept _what?_ ' 

'That a friend I entrusted-   
With my life could kill-   
Innocent people,   
Just for a thrill?   
Was that how the world was?'   
'It was how _we_ made it!'   
'How you _chose_ to make it!   
Methos, don't evade it!' 

'You chose to slaughter-   
And burn all she knew!'   
'And I chose to take-   
Her as prisoner, too.'   
He cannot look Duncan   
Full in the face,   
'There's more,' painfully-   
He revisits that place. 

Flashback, Bronze Age 

On horseback all day,   
Looting, despoiling,   
Now back to camp-   
To rest from their toiling,   
Says Kronos, 'Let's share-   
The spoils we've acquired,'   
But Methos declines,   
'Take my share, I'm too tired.' 

He'll rest in his tent-   
Where Cassandra waits smiling,   
She holds a cool drink,   
Speaks softly, beguiling,   
She washes the grime-   
From his hands and his face,   
Seeming at ease,   
Content in this place. 

Until Kronos enters-   
With a cold, jealous stare,   
'The time has come, brother-   
This prize you will share,'   
Cassandra's eyes plead,   
Surely, Methos will help,   
But Methos retreats-   
Like a cowardly whelp. 

Kronos yanks her away,   
Screaming Methos's name,   
Methos cowers in his tent,   
Silently loathes his shame,   
Later that night,   
Cassandra pretends-   
To give in to Kronos,   
In all he intends. 

She falls to her knees,   
He anticipates pleasure,   
Now he will plunder-   
Her charms at his leisure,   
But, she's deceived him,   
His knife, she grabs tight-   
She plunges it deep,   
And escapes in the night. 

The Elysium Church's Cemetery   
Present Day 

'I heard Kronos scream,   
Saw Cassandra run free,   
I could have stopped her-   
But I let her flee,   
She must have died-   
Many deaths, hideous,   
But I bet it was worth it-   
To be free of us.' 

'So why are you back-   
With Kronos, conniving?'   
'Same as always,' says Methos,   
'It's called surviving,   
Take Cassandra, and leave-   
If you value her so,'   
What?' scoffs MacLeod,   
'And let Kronos go?' 

'You don't have a choice,   
Nobody can stop him,   
At death and destruction-   
No one can top him,'   
'I can't let him do that,   
You know me better,'   
Methos now relates Kronos'-   
Plan, to the letter. 

'I came to warn you,'   
Says Methos, jaw tight,   
His brave new world-   
Is starting, tonight.'   
'Where...when?' asks MacLeod,   
Methos remains calm,   
At La Place des Quinconces,   
'You set a _bomb?_ ' 

Mac starts to run,   
Methos calls as he goes,   
'You've heard of Ebola?'   
Mac suddenly slows,   
'There are things worse than that,   
Kronos found one obscure,   
He's bred a virus,   
Exotic, no cure.' 

'He tried it on monkeys,   
Now he has enough-   
To kill half of Europe,   
It's powerful stuff,   
A vial in the fountain,   
A starter, a ploy.'   
'Then the water supply.'   
Praises Methos, 'Bright boy!' 

'Let's go!' yells MacLeod,   
But Methos argues-   
'If I go against him-   
I surely will lose.'   
'Going with the winner?'   
Methos just smiles,   
'What game are you playin''   
Mac's confused by his wiles. 

'Bottom fountain, it's placed-   
Just above water line...   
First white, black, then red,'   
He sounds so benign,   
'Twenty-four minutes-   
Then the vial blows,'   
Methos watches as Mac-   
Decides, then he goes. 

Hotel de Seze 

Cassandra feels Mac-   
So she opens the door,   
But the Horsemen are there-   
To settle a score,   
The knife that she used-   
To run Kronos through-   
He uses on her-   
'Giving this back to you!' 

La Place des Quinconces 

Duncan runs shouting,   
'Everyone, out of here!   
There's a bomb in the fountain!   
Get away and get clear!'   
He finds the device,   
Observes seconds tick,   
Trusting in Methos-   
That it's not a trick. 

Cutting the wires,   
White, black then red,   
The ticking has stopped,   
Then over his head,   
He hears a new sound-   
But relief rules the day,   
As the fountain erupts,   
Drenching him with its spray. 

The Submarine Base 

Kronos gnaws on a drumstick,   
(Not rodent, I trust)   
Tells Methos, 'That bomb-   
Didn't blow...was a bust,'   
'I'll try to do better,'   
Kronos asks, 'Where were you?   
Warning your friend?   
As I knew you would do?' 

'My perfect right arm,   
We are both of one mind,'   
'I doubt that,' smiles Methos,   
'You're one of a kind,'   
Kronos is pleased-   
To be so respected-   
And he has a new toy-   
That he's just perfected. 

A remote. 'All I do-   
Is punch in the code,   
And a vial of the virus-   
At once, will explode,   
It's stashed in the reservoir-   
Outside Bordeaux...   
And... there's something else-   
I am anxious to show.' 

In the murkiest, dankest-   
Recess of his lair-   
Kronos placed a wire cage-   
Stuffed Cassandra in there   
'She asked about you,'   
Says Kronos while smirking,   
Methos can't look,   
But his mind is still working. 

'When you warned MacLeod-   
I knew you expected-   
That I'd take Cassandra,   
Since she was unprotected,'   
That _was_ your plan...?   
Kronos stretching it far,   
Methos says, 'It was perfect.'   
'Your plans always are.' 

'I wonder,' mulls Kronos-   
'What your friend, MacLeod-   
Thinks of you now?'   
Methos dare not act cowed,   
'Do you think that I care?'   
'Well, _you_ lured him away-   
So we'd steal his woman,   
He'll want you to pay.' 

'If that was _me_ \-   
Whose woman was abducted,   
I'd want you dead,   
Would not be obstructed,'   
'Then we should prepare'-   
Urges Methos, unsteady-   
For MacLeod to come here,'   
'I've done that already.' 

Methos asks nervously,   
'Whom did you send?   
Caspian or Silas?'   
(Is he worried for his friend?)   
Kronos just beams-   
A satisfied grin,   
'Both!' he declares,   
No way, Mac can win! 

A Dark, Deserted Street 

MacLeod walks alone,   
But that will soon change,   
He senses an Immie-   
At very close range,   
Silas stands in his path,   
Piggish face beaming joy,   
Battle-ax in his hands,   
Grinning, 'Welcome home, boy!' 

MacLeod meets his challenge,   
But wait! There's another!   
Behind Mac lurks Caspian,   
Supporting his brother,   
'You kill one of us...   
The one who's not dead-   
Will strike while you're down-   
And cut off your head!' 

Mac takes on Caspian,   
But gets his face slashed-   
By Caspian's dagger-   
That he deftly flashed,   
Mac starts to run,   
The bridge is nearby,   
He'll make his stand there,   
Now it's do or die. 

'You're gonna taste good!'   
Snarls Caspian, obscenely,   
'You're gonna go hungry!'   
Now Mac's knife cuts cleanly,   
Caspian, MacLeod-   
Both cheeks slashed the same,   
As Silas stands mutely,   
'Two can play that game.' 

Now battling in earnest,   
Swords, knives and brute force,   
It ends when Mac cuts-   
Caspian's head off, of course,   
But as Mac is caught-   
In the Quickening's spin,   
Silas can't wait to do-   
The Highlander in. 

With the first lightning bolt,   
Mac struggles to stand,   
He staggers to the edge,   
There in Silas's hand-   
The ax is descending!   
Mac lets himself go,   
Letting gravity take him-   
To the river below. 

The Quickening's flares-   
Track his descent,   
They churn up the water-   
Until they are spent,   
Silas takes Caspian's sword,   
Cursing in his distress,   
The Highlander lives!   
And there's one Horseman less. 

The Submarine Base   
Cassandra's Cage 

Cassandra won't eat,   
Finds the idea appalling,   
'This is familiar,'   
Says Methos, recalling,   
She asserts, 'I am not-   
A meek slave any longer,   
I've learned what I am,   
Hating you makes me stronger.' 

'You fooled MacLeod,   
But not me! You know-   
MacLeod should have taken-   
Your head, long ago!'   
'Well, he didn't do it,   
And, he had his chance,   
Methos still is aroused-   
By the heat in her glance. 

'When we were together-   
It wasn't all bad...'   
'You forced me to serve you!   
That's all we had!'   
He: 'Don't hate yourself,   
You loved me because-   
You thought I'd protect you,   
You forgot what I _was._ ' 

'I forgot _nothing!_   
I'll kill both of you!'   
Says Methos, 'You go-   
Against Kronos, you're through,   
If you want to live,   
Keep him happy, somehow,'   
'I did not do it then,   
I won't do it now!' 

His presence unwelcome,   
He gets up to leave her,   
Saying, 'Then you will die,'   
He can not deceive her,   
'And as for MacLeod,   
MacLeod is now dead,   
Forget about him,   
Put him out of your head.' 

A Street 

The 'dead man' (MacLeod)-   
Hunts for a trail,   
Kronos houses those monkeys,   
But who made the sale?   
At a pet shop...'Monsieur-   
Where can I go-   
To import several monkeys,   
A hundred or so?' 

The Submarine Base 

Kronos is plotting-   
To settle the score,   
'Never again-   
Will the Horsemen be Four!'   
Putting Silas near Cassie,   
And with manner grandiose-   
Kronos orders, 'You kill her,   
If MacLeod's even close!' 

_'He's alive?'_ 'Not for long!'   
Kronos shows her no pity,   
'Methos...you and I-   
Have to poison a city.'   
She watches them go,   
Hope alive, but afraid,   
Silas looms ever closer,   
Carefully honing his blade. 

Kronos' virus-   
Will just have to wait,   
Bordeaux will be saved-   
From a horrible fate,   
As Kronos and Methos-   
Start up the dark stairway-   
A Buzz! It's the Highlander-   
Directly in their way! 

Says Mac, 'The _Three_ Horsemen-   
Of the Apocalypse,   
Doesn't have the same ring...'   
Into Kronos he rips,   
Mac's ready to rumble-   
But Kronos is sly,   
'Put down your sword-   
Or Cassandra will die!' 

'Win or lose, either way-   
She loses her head...   
Your life for hers...'   
'She'd rather be _dead!_ '   
To Methos-'Tell Silas-   
Do not hesitate,   
Make sure that she knows-   
MacLeod sealed her fate.' 

'METHOS, DON'T _DO_ THIS!'   
Mac's demand makes him pause,   
He owes Mac a reason,   
'Like you once said, because...   
I go with the winner!'   
Then he races away,   
Leaving Kronos and Mac-   
To the Game they must play. 

Silas, ever stalwart-   
Still guards his prize,   
'MacLeod's here?' he asks   
'Yes,' Methos replies,   
Silas hauls out Cassandra,   
She resists, shrieking 'No!'   
Silas raises his ax-   
To strike the deathblow. 

But a blade crosses his!   
Methos dares take a stand!   
Silas: 'Want her head, brother?   
I won't countermand,'   
Somehow, Methos finds-   
His courage and renounces-   
His past, in the words-   
That he now pronounces. 

_'I am not your brother!'_   
Those words echo far,   
'How can you...' jeers Silas,   
'Go against what you are?'   
'You don't...' bellows Methos,   
'Know a thing about me!'   
Now he makes the choice-   
Of who he will be. 

Upstairs in Kronos'-   
Monkey-filled lab,   
He and Mac fight like devils,   
Cut...thrust...and jab!   
Both seasoned warriors,   
Neither giving an inch,   
Only Kronos' words-   
Can make MacLeod flinch, 

'You've now killed your woman,   
Soon you may meet her,   
Perhaps in the afterlife-   
You'll get to greet her,'   
Mac battles harder,   
Incensed at the cost-   
For Cassandra and Methos-   
Good friends he has lost. 

Methos! They see him!   
With Silas, engaged,   
Time stops for a moment,   
Kronos seethes...now enraged,   
MacLeod is astounded,   
What has Methos done?   
But first-there is Kronos,   
That fight must be won. 

Against one like Kronos-   
MacLeod must access-   
All the darkness within him,   
If he hopes for success,   
His face is contorted-   
With the hatred he feels,   
Some long-buried bloodlust-   
This combat reveals. 

'I Am'-Kronos shrieks,   
'The End of Time!'   
'You're history!' Mac pants,   
Then beheads the slime,   
That identical moment,   
Methos strikes true,   
Silas is finished,   
The Horsemen are through. 

The Quickening begins-   
With a powerful breeze-   
It cleanses and scours-   
Then forms vortices,   
MacLeod links with Methos,   
Now fireballs fly-   
Between the Immortals,   
Spiraling eye to eye. 

A joined Quickening!   
What dazzling sight!   
They surrender to spasms,   
Barely standing upright,   
Methos sinks to his knees,   
Sickened by his own vileness,   
Crying out, 'I killed Silas!'   
Screaming out-'I _liked_ Silas!' 

Now on all fours,   
Heaving sobs from his core,   
Methos loathes what he is,   
What he _was,_ even more,   
At present, he cares not-   
What his future brings,   
But the blade of revenge-   
Cassandra now swings. 

'And now do you think-   
That I can forgive?'   
'CASSANDRA!' shouts Duncan,   
'You want him to _live?_ '   
Again, the ax poised-   
The death blow to give,   
'CASSANDRA!' Mac orders,   
'I WANT HIM TO _LIVE!_ ' 

She's gasping for breath,   
Feels her heart pound,   
But Silas's ax-   
She drops to the ground,   
Methos can't stop-   
His pitiful braying,   
Mac lets his head fall-   
In his hands, as if praying. 

A Cemetery, Later 

Mac looks at Methos,   
No longer his foe,   
But is he a friend?   
That's hard to know.   
'Kronos had to come looking-   
You couldn't doubt it,'   
Sighs Methos, 'I tried-   
Not thinking about it.' 

'You could have killed him,   
Why didn't you?'   
Methos sighs with remorse.   
'Oh, I wanted to...   
But we were brothers,   
If I judged that _he_ die,   
Then the same standards-   
To _me_ would apply.' 

'And I wanted to live,   
I still do,' jaw tightening,   
To MacLeod, all this candor-   
Is very enlightening,   
'You set it all up!'   
Methos: 'What do you mean?'   
MacLeod yearns to wipe-   
This sullied slate clean. 

'You couldn't kill him,   
But hoped that I could...   
When I went for Cassandra-   
As you knew I would,'   
Methos shrugs, 'Maybe,'   
Mac echoes his word,   
'And what of Cassandra?'   
Again memory's stirred. 

'One of a thousand-   
Regrets,' Methos sighs,   
He says it again-   
With tears in his eyes,   
The Horsemen of old-   
Were a hideous crew-   
But they were the only-   
Family he knew. 

He's betrayed all his friends,   
Alexa is gone,   
He has to start over,   
As he's always done,   
He and MacLeod-   
Walk away separately,   
As each contemplates-   
What their futures will be. 

Peace, Emit   
© 2002 

**_Under the Kilt_ from Highlander: The Official Site: **

David Abramowitz, Creative Consultant   
'We celebrated the 100th episode of Highlander in France with a huge party, where we rented a bus and everybody got incredibly drunk.' 

**Don Paonessa, Creative Consultant, Post Production**   
'The big thing with this was the double Quickening. Adrian, who directed, wanted this connection between Methos and MacLeod as far as the Quickening went. So we talked about creating an energy force that connected the two of them. Conceptually, it was supposed to be like a funnel or tube of energy, but it never really got there. The compositing box we were using at the time didn't allow us to separate out layers. You could only go back if you started from square one.' 

**Ken Gord, Producer**   
'Then we moved to Bordeaux for the 100th. Adrian and I went early and were there prepping for a while, just the two of us. I remember the day we were driving around and were looking for what the script originally called Kronos' Chateau. And they always wrote 'chateau' when we were in France, just like they always wrote, 'warehouse' when we were in North America. And Adrian and I were looking and looking and the location guys say, 'Want to go see this place? It has nothing to do with the story, but it's really neat.' It was the old World War II submarine base. And Adrian and I walked in and we saw this place and what this guy, who's a metal worker and musician, had done. We looked at each other and thought, 'This is a slam dunk.' It couldn't be better. It was as if this man had built this set. We didn't even touch it; we used it as is. He made all those chairs. And the Quickening was probably our biggest ever. We had so much pyrotechnics there that night. It was our only double Quickening. It was incredible; it was so big. And we shot it from a boat and all these other angles. It was Adrian directing again. Also, 'ET' wanted to film us taking a cake in for the 100th episode.' 

~ Ransom of Richard Redstone   
  
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End file.
